PRODUCT SAFETY: COMMISSION SUPPORTS A SERIES OF MEASURES TAKEN BY MEMBER STATES.

Summary: The European Commission issued a series of Opinions between November 27 and December 11 supporting measures taken by certain Member States in application of the procedure provided for in Article 7 of Directive 92/59/EEC on general product safety. Three cases concern lighters withdrawn from sale in the United Kingdom, and a further three (two in the UK and one in Denmark) products directed at children. Finally, a measure taken by Belgium to restrict the sale of a model of gas boiler has also been validated by the Commission under Directive 90/396 on the safety of gas appliances.

The Opinions issued by the Commission under Directive 92/59 on general product safety were drawn up pursuant to procedures outlined in Article 7. The Member States are required to notify the Commission of measures taken to restrict the marketing of products or withdraw items from sale. Where the Commission concludes that such measures are justified, after consultation with the parties concerned, it immediately informs all the Member States, to prevent the products at issue turning up on other Community markets. This latest series of favourable Opinions concerns: - a disposable gas lighter manufactured by Mitake and imported into the United Kingdom by Yoona Shamash of Japan, which failed to comply with safety requirements regarding flame heights and was deemed liable to explode in users' hands; - Top refillable lighters retailed in the United Kingdom by the Manny's Newsagents chain, and Top disposable lighters imported into the United Kingdom by Keypalm Ltd, both of which failed to comply with the standard for flame heights and are thought liable to cause burns or to explode; - Tin Lite lighters manufactured in the Far East and distributed on the British market...